Former Dutch international Gerrie Muhren passes away

THE HAGUE, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Former Ajax and Netherlands player Gerrie Muhren passed away at the age of 67 in his hometown Volendam, Dutch soccer club Ajax announced on Thursday.

Muhren suffered from myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a bone marrow disease. Until last year he was scout on behalf of Ajax.

As a dynamic and technically gifted midfielder, Muhren was part of the Ajax team which dominated Europe and the world in the beginning of the 1970s. The Amsterdam side captured the European Champions Cup in 1971, 1972 and 1973 and grabbed the World Cup in 1972.

One of Muhren's personal highlights was the semifinal of the European Champions Cup in 1973 against Real Madrid. Ajax won 1-0 and Muhren scored, but nobody remembered that goal. The match was remembered for Muhren juggling with the ball in Berbabeu, as an example of Ajax' supremacy at that time.

Fifty years ago Muhren started his career at FC Volendam and he moved to Ajax in 1968. In 1976 the midfielder left Ajax for Spanish Real Betis Sevilla and after that he played for FC Volendam again, MVV, Seiko Hong Kong and FC Dordrecht. He finished his career at FC Volendam in 1985.

Muhren had to withdraw from the World Cup in 1974, in which the Dutch team reached the final, because his baby son was ill. He played a total of ten internationals. His younger brother Arnold became European champions with the Netherlands in 1988.